Ribbon-attaching means



B. H. TANN'ER. RIBBON ATTACHING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5, 1920.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN H. TANNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNGB TO THE MILLER-BRYANT-IIERCE COMPANY, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RIBBON-ATTAGHING- MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application filed April 5, 1920. Serial No. 371,249.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN H. TAN- NER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRibbon-Attaching Means; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in ribbon attaching means, andconsists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicientmeans for removably attaching one end of a ribbon to a s 001.

Another object of the invention is to provide means of the kind, whichmay be re movably attached to the ribbon in such manner that it may bedetached from a worn out ribbon and may be readily attached to a newribbon, without the aid of tools.

These objects, as well as the several advantages of the invention willmore fully appear as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved meansattached to a ribbon, and in a position to be removably connected to aspool.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4C, are detail cross-sectional views, on an enlargedscale, illustrating the manner of applying said means to a ribbon, andthereafter connecting the same to a spool.

Fig. 5 is a longitudial sectional view through one end of the spool andattaching means, the plane of the section being inclicated by the line55 of Fig. 4

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustratedin the accompanying drawings 10 indicates a ribbon spool such as is usedin a multigraph machine. Said spool comprises a tubular, sheet metalbarrel 11, having end flanges 12, and a longitudinal slot 13whichterminates short of the said flanges.

14 indicates one end of a reproducing or inked ribbon which in use, isunwound from one spool and wound upon another like spool, and viceversa, said ribbon being of a width substantially equal to the length ofthe spool barrel 11. Means are provided which may be removably securedto the ends is of a length approximating that of the slot I 13 in thebarrel 11, but its bifurcations are spread apart toward their ends so asto occupy a space wider than said slot.

16-16 indicate the bifurcations or side members of the wedge, whichdiverge outwardly from a rounded apex 17 Said side members are bowedoutwardly intermediate the apex 17 and their ends or the base of thewedge, as indicated at 18. Near their ends, the outward bow 18 in eachcase, terminates in a reversed curve which ends in a laterally extendingflange 19, running the length of the wedge.

Asosciated with the wedge member for the purpose of removably securingone end I of the ribbon 14: to it, is a. V-shaped key or spline 20. Saidkey is made of sheet metal and has straight diverging, resilient sides21, which may be forced into the wedge member, to hold an end ofthe'ribbon against:

the inner faces of the bifurcations or sides of the wedge member 15.

To removably secure the ribbon 1 1 to said wedge member, one end of saidribbon is placed so as to extend across the space be:

tween its flanges 19 and is held in this position by one hand of theoperator making the attachment. The key 20 is then alined with saidspace between the flanges of the Wedge as shown in Fig. 2, after whichthe key is pressed inwardly between said flanges, the

bowed sides of the wedge yielding-to allow said key to pass; As the keyis inserted, it carries the ribbon end with it into the wedge,

and, when released, it will spring back to its M normal shape and engageand clamp the ribbon end between itself and the inner faces of the sidemembers of the wedge, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

With the ribbon thus secured to the wedge member, the apex 17 of saidwedge is inserted into the slot 13 in a direction radial tothe spoolbarrel and a compressive pressure, as by the thumb and finger, isbrought to bear upon the flanges 19. This will cause the bowed parts 18of the sides of said wedge to yield inwardly toward each other so thatsaid bowed sides will pass through said slot after which said parts willspring outwardly to their normal position, and the flanges 19 of saidwedges will bear upon the outer surface of marginal parts or the. barreldefining the slot 13 therein, as shown in Fig. 4-. With the parts inthis position, the flanges 19 prevent the wedge from falling bodily intothe interior of said barrel, while its bowed side members presentabutments whichlock it against withdrawal radially outward through saidslot.

pass the edges ofthe slot '13 of the barrel,

whereupon the wedge 15 is withdrawn radially'outward through said slotand thus disconnected from the spool. V

A pencil or match or any other handy device or implement is insertedinto one end of the wedge to push the key 20 out through theother end ofthe wedge, where the exposed end of the key isigrasped by the fingersand pulled out of the wedge, after vwhich the ribbon may bewithdrawniironi. the wedge, through the space between the flanges 19.Said key and wedge may be applied to the end of a new ribbon and thewedge again inserted in place through the slot as before described.

It isapparent that my improved attaching means has many advantages. Itdoes not require the making of special spools and is capable of beingused in connection with the same spools now used in multigraph machines.wherein the attaching device is permanently secured to the ribbon. Itmay be used indefinitely as it is not thrown away when the ribbon isworn out, but may readily be applied to new ribbons to again attach,said ribbons to the old spool. It requires no special machinery orskilled operators to attach thesame to a ribbon and its conformation issuch'that it cannot bend or get out of shape. Other advantages will beapparent to those skilled in the art.

While I have described the invention as applied to a spool formultigraph machines ited thereto, except as pointed out in the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination with a spool barrel having alongitudinal slot therein, a wedge member adapted to be inserted throughsaid slot in a direction radial to the barrel, said wedge'niember havingsides which diverge from the apex of the wedge to its base, where theyterminate in oppositely disposed longitudinal flanges adapted to engageagainst the barrel at either side of said slot, the divergent sides ofthe wedge being bowed outwardly intermediate said apex and said base topresent rounded abutments adapted to resist the withdrawal of the wedgemember through said slot, and means for attaching a ribbon to said wedgemember.

2. In combination with a spool barrel having a longitudinal slottherein, a, wedge member adapted to be inserted through said slot in adirection radial to the barrel, said wedge member having sides whichdiverge from the apex of the wedge to its base, where they terminate inoppositely disposed longitudinal flanges adapted to engage against thebarrel at either side of said slot, the divergent sides of the wedgebeing bowed outwardly intermediate said apex and said base to presentrounded abutments adapted to resist the withdrawal of the wedge memberthrough said slot, and means for detachably connecting a ribbon to saidwedge member. r

3. In combination witha spool having a tubular barrel provided with alongitudinal slot therein, a wedge member adapted to be inserted throughsaid slot in a direction radial to the barrel, said wedge; member havingsides which diverge from the apex of the wedge to its base, where theyterminate in oppositely disposed longitudinal flanges adapted to engageagainst the barrel at either side of said slot, the divergent sides ofthe wedge being bowed outwardly intermediate said apex and said base topresent rounded abutments adapted to resist the withdrawal of the wedgemember through said slot, and means for detachably connect- ,ing aribbon to said wedge member.

a. In combination with a spool barrel having a longitudinal slottherein, a wedge member adapted to be inserted laterallyinto said slot,said wedge being'of a width greater than'said slot and including partsadapted toyield in passing through said slot and to thereafter expand.to secure said wedge in said slot, and a key adapted to be yieldinglyengaged within said wedge member for securing a ribbon to said wedgemember.

5. In combination with a tubular spool barrel having a longitudinal slottherein, a sheet metal Wedge member adapted to be inserted laterallyinto said slot, said wedge member being of a width greater than saidslot and including parts adapted to yield in passing through said slotand to thereafter expand to lock said wedge in said slot, and a keyadapted to be yieldingly engaged within said wedge member, said key andwedge removably securing one end of a ribbon between them.

6. In combination with a tubular spool barrel having a slot therein, awedge member having side members, which include laterally extendingflanges, said wedge member being adapted to be inserted laterally intosaid slot until stopped by the engagement of said flanges with parts ofsaid barrel adjacent the slot, and a key associated with said Wedgemember for detachably securing one end of a ribbon within said wedgemember.

7 Means for removably attaching one end of a ribbon to a slotted spoolbarrel comprising, a substantially V-shaped sheet metal, yielding,elastic wedge member, which includes divergent sides that terminate inoutwardly extending flanges, each side being bowed outwardly at itsmiddle, and a V- shaped sheet metal key adapted to be inserted into saidwedge member, and to expand to hold one end of said ribbon against theinside faces of said wedge member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I affix mysignature in the presence of two Witnesses, this 26" day of March, A.D., 1920.

BENJAMIN H. TANNER.

Witnesses:

THEODORE E. RoEHM, J osnrmm: M. Downs.

